So, here I am, with a partially crisp and sunburnt Schala. Since I can't think of anything witty and/or amusing to say here, she's going to provide you with an intro, by way of her 1337 h4KK3r skillz yo.

*Begin Schala-ness*

Well I bet you never expected me to come back again. So here I am, in California and sunburnt... hey, I'm not used to the sun! I did live in Canada up until now, after all. :P Anyway, since I'm sure some of you wonder where I've been, here's a brief summary: Packing and moving down here, Xenosaga, listening to Xenosaga OST, unpacking in Cali, more Xenosaga. Oh yeah, and throw in some Smash Bros. Melee, Secret of Mana, and Rurouni Kenshin in there too.

Okay, now that you no longer miss me, I'll bet you want to read them letters.

I'm that idiot yeah that one you know yeah well I have some questions that need some answers well they probably don't need answers but hey.

1.i've been hearing rumors about a possible Astro Boy RPG I know its most likely BS but hey just wondered.

2.I was playing Seiken Densetsu 3 recently and began to wonder about something....I know legend of Mana is Seiken Densetsu 4 but which one was Secret of Mana?

3.Sakura Taisen now I have to get this game its the first dating SIM I've seen with a possible US release date in a while. Trust me I need all the dating practice I can get. But I was wondering what systems it plans to be on. I know its probably just my stupidity but what system is it to be out for?

well now for the thing you've all been waiting for my fair wells....well see ya.
_-Embassador of cheese-_

Schala:
1. Neither I nor anyone else I've asked has heard of an Astro Boy RPG, so sorry, can't help you there.

2. Secret of Mana would be Seiken Densetsu 2, and, just in case you didn't know, FF Adventure on the GB was SD1.Chronologist: Actually, reading certain people at certain message boards would have you believe LoM was not actually SD4, as the full title was simply 'Seiken Densetsu: Legend of Mana', sans a numeral. But you know, it's fourth in the series, and as they say, if it looks like a duck...

3. Sakura Taisen up to this point, were all released for the Dreamcast (with the original 1 being for the Saturn and later for DC), but as far as future releases, the series is going to be ported to the PS2 in Japan, though we have no dates yet. Being as the DC is... you know, dead, it'd be on PS2 here no doubt. As far as dating practice is concerned, well... while I've never tried the game myself, I think it's pretty safe to say that there's no practice quite like real dating. :P

But will it have catchy Disney tunes?

Hey Chronologist,

It think the site is great. Everything RPG that I could want is there. Well anyway the game that I'm most looking forward to is (and possibly a little strange) Kingdom Hearts. Although I was a little sceptical about it at first but aside from the fact that Disney is a little kiddy, the gameply (which I believe is the most important part of an RPG) looks absolutly solid. Not to mention the characters look well designed (I love the way Sora looks). Well thats what I'm most looking forward to this year. How about you?

RPG Kowboy

Chronologist:
That's kind of a tough one... of the stuff coming out, I'm most anxious to play would be Star Ocean 3, Zelda (Cube), Breath of Fire II, Kingdom Hearts and PSO Episode I & II. As of this moment, PSO is the leader, despite me being a huge Zelda fanpersonthing. As for Schala...

Schala: I don't think it's strange at all to be looking forward to KH. I used to be a little wary of it, but the more footage I saw, the more sold I was on that game. In fact, I was actually thinking of importing it last month, but decided against it after a few troubles in Xenosaga (though in the end, Xenosaga is very well worth it), and I'm still looking forward to it. As for what else I'm looking forward to, I'd have to say PSO Episode I & II, Breath of Fire II (because I keep hearing about how good the series is), not to mention games we own that I haven't played/beaten yet. (Like EarthBound for example... but please don't flame me for not having played it. :P)

U R 1337

im so honoured that my letter regarding Phantasy Star for the GBA was used for your april fool joke. and tell 'Guy Incognito' that he needs to try harder. as the undisputed Lord Of RPGs, i find his 'name the game' questions far too easy. incidentally, if anyone wishes to topple me from my throne, im right here.......come and get me.. "ILL FIGHT UNTIL MY HEART STOPS!!!!!!" (nam the game the quote comes from!)

- NinjaSmudge

Chronologist:
Well maybe not all of us are as smart as you, okay? Some of us just aren't that knowledgeable or played as many RPGs as you or Guy. We don't need it rubbed in our faces okay? It hurts enough as it is! *sobs*

Everyone here has beaten FFX? Not I!

Chrono,

Being from the UK I get quite frustrated at the fact that many games go to Japan then to America but stop there. And if they do decide to release them here, you're guaranteed that everyone else has completed it. It's like FFX, you're all talking about it and saying that it's great but I think it's getting released in the summer for us lot. Well, that's what I read anyway and CVG (that's a brilliant games magazine) is always right! Errr......most of the time.

Lately, I've been getting bored of the FF games which I own on the playstation so have re-started 3/6...or whatever. But this is only because of one reason. I've lost Suikoden II. I was so close to getting the really good ending and now I can't find it. I blame my nephew. It was in the PS when I went out and then we I came back Road Rash had replaced it! I haven't been that angry since I found out that the Sega Saturn wasn't working properly so we could no longer play Guardian Heroes or Burning Rangers anymore.

Well anyway, that's it. I like to talk nonsense and it looks like I just have. Hehe.

Emz

PS - was I the only person who didn't find it sad when Aeris dies in FF7? I actually thought that Cait Sith #1's departure in the temple was a lot sadder.

Schala:
Road Rash? OH GOD the horrors! Just thinking of that game makes me break out in rashes... or is that an itch from my sunburn? (Not that I've played Suikoden II, but it sounds a HELL of a lot better than Road Rash. :P) I can almost feel your pain... I can't find my copies of DDR 4th and 5th Mixes. Oh well, DDRMAX shall be mine soon... Anyway, as I was saying, you guys should be thankful to be getting FFX at all... a good RPG, at least. I hope you guys get Xenosaga too, just because it owns and all.

Oh, and about Aeris, I wasn't all that sad either... mainly because I was SPOILED for that scene, though.

Seh-phee-roth?

First: This is in response to the person who asked if Uematsu was doing the music for FFXI. www.rocketbaby.net has posted many interviews with video game composers. The website mentions that in an upcoming interview with Uematsu, he reveals that the main theme for the game has been recorded. Which may mean that Uematsu is the composer, but then again I believe that Uematsu is in charge of the music department for all of square.

Second. About the pronounciation of the names.
I try and pronounce them like they are pronounced in japanese. Yoo-fee is right and tee-fa is right. Tidus is pronounced "Tee-dah" in japanese, but since that's stupid, I say "Tied-us".
Listen to One Wing Angel closely, they say Sephiroth in the chorus.
And I believe Weltall is German. Don't they pronounce W like the English V? That's how I've been prounouncing it, though I could be wrong.

- Shannara4

Schala:
While Uematsu is pretty damn important in Square's music department, I don't think he's the actual head, unless I just never caught that before. Though he did help pick, interview and hire Yasunori Mitsuda, which I give him props for. As for the FFXI OST... well, considering pre-orders are already being taken for it, let's hope that more than the theme's been done. :P

Thanks to a trailer I saw last E3 for FFX, I pronounced Tidus' name 'Tee-dus' until Chrono showed me the light. You're right about Weltall being German, though I forget what it actually MEANS. I don't think they pronounce the 'W' like 'V" however, since the German language has both letters and pronounce them, for the most part, like the English do. (Thanks to having Dutch relatives, I gained quite a bit of knowledge on Dutch and German, since they're very, very similar.)

By the way, does anyone besides me know how to pronounce Cait Sith right? (For all you ignorant people, it's Ket-Shee. :P)

HAHE MYSTIC QUEST R0XX0RZ J00 8D

Oddly enough, I bought Mystic Quest. In fact, I have two boxed copies. =P

Although, of course, I do have some slight justification for it...Mystic Quest was really the game that got me interested in RPGs to begin with. (I was primarily a 2d fighter/platformer junkie beforehand.) So, when I had the opportunity to pick up a slew of mint SNES games last year, I threw Mystic Quest in the pile for sentimental reasons. Heck, it only cost me 7 bucks--why the heck not? After all, it really was really a decent "beginners" RPG of sorts.

-Jayde

P.S. Xbox sux0rz haha lol robble robble, etc.

Schala:
Oddly enough, I got MQ from a friend whose sister didn't want it anymore... and had a lot of fun playing it. See, I'm better than you, I got it for free! :P Though actually, a similar story happened to me... Super Mario RPG: Legend of the 7 Stars got me more into RPG's, and for years it's been near the bottom of my favorite RPG list. But now I wanna play it again and finally beat that final boss. Come to think of it, I'd consider both of those games to be good beginner RPG's.

PS. Get the saying right - it's 'HAHE ROBBLE ROBBLE 8D'!!

What's with you people and dating sims?! :P

Most awaited RPGs? Hmmmm...

As for the GBA, Golden Sun: The Lost Age is high on my list. The last left me gagging for more, what with ending like it did. And that is one of the best handheld RPG's ever, an instant classic. Even the music was great, something not often found in a handheld.

As far as PS2, its a close tie between Xenosaga or FFXI or maybe even Tokemeki Memorial. I've always loved dating sims (yeah, yeah...) and I am about to burn my lucky socks if they don't bring one state-side. I imported Love Hina for GBA, but that was a dissapointment. And with Xenosaga and FFXI, we all know the drill. Both will make every RPG gamer's list.

- Togepi343

Schala:
Wait... how many handheld RPG's are there? (At least, ones that came out here, and not including ports?) Ah, Golden Sun... the game I got for Christmas and have yet to touch. I want to play it though, I really do, but Xenosaga's been hogging all my time. :P Speaking of dating sims... while most of us believed there really isn't a market for that kind of game in North America, apparently we do have a chance of getting one, as I mentioned earlier in this edition in response to some other letter. Except it's not Tokimeki Memorial, it's Sakura Taisen for that matter. Still, if it does come to our shores, it's supposed to be pretty good, not to mention hugely popular in Japan, so you should give that a shot.

What's with you people and long titles?!

In response to: A_fremen The RPG playin' desert dweller.

Not all Game-Based movies have sucked. Granted, several have, but come on, Resident Evil was good, and has some very apparent links to the series, as though it's continuing the story line. And it fit into the novels, as well. Wing commander, as a stand alone movie wasn't so bad, though I admit that in game-comparison it stinks. Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within was better than Final Fantasy 8, enough said.

I thought the worst part about FFX was the loss of the Word Map. when I heard that there was going to be seamless transition from World to Town, I was hoping, wishing, for much more. Bu the game should have been two disks, cuz the ending DID suck. And don't get me started on Blitz Ball... I'll just say this: Blitz Ball should have been using the Zone of the Enders system for it's gameplay.

-Marcus, Master of the Dojo of Spirits

Schala:
I heard the RE movie sucked actually. But hey, I never saw it to judge for myself, nor do I really feel like bothering. I liked the first Mortal Kombat movie a lot, as well as FF: TSW. (What is everyone's problem with it, anyway?) I wanted to, though never did, get to see the Super Mario Bros. movie, as cheesy as it looked, it still looked cool in some weird twisted way. Or maybe I was just too curious. As some people have said, movies based on comics seem to turn out a lot better. Except for the last few Batmans. UGH.

Now as many of you know I haven't played FFX. Xenosaga, however, doesn't have a world map either and that never bothered me at all. Of course, much of the game takes place on ships, and when you are on a planet, the only place you can go to is the Kookai Foundation, and you can still access all the other places/dungeons easily. In short, a world map isn't exactly needed or missed in Xenosaga's case. I could go on forever about that game, but I won't. In any case, being without a world map can't be all that bad in FFX, but I guess I should actually try it first. I know now that I most likely won't be bothering with Blitzball, though...

Closing Thoughts

Since Chrono abandoned me for Sonic halfway through this, I ended up doing the rest of the mailbag solo as you may have noticed. But only because I'm making him let me watch Rurouni Kenshin after. :P Well, whatever the case, doing a Mailbag for the first time in a couple of months was actually a lot of fun. So yeah, expect to see more of me in the future. (Ha ha, suckers.)